In addition to pay increases over the next two years, the new Lansdowne Road Agreement aims to ensure an ongoing commitment to change and reform. However, new restrictions on out-sourcing are at odds with this ambition. In this edition we look at the merits of the pay deal, and specifically at the problems that such restrictions will cause.

In addition to pay rises, the new public sector pay agreement will also restrict important public service reform. Outsourcing will be severely curtailed, along with further attempts to improve services to meet the needs of citizens and businesses alike.

A universal supplementary pension aims to address lack of pension coverage, but would involve significant labour and administrative costs for employers. Only around 40% of private sector workers currently have a funded pension plan.

The debate on UK EU membership has gathered fresh momentum following the re-election of the British Conservative Government. It is vital that Irish interests protected in any new deal for Britain in Europe